Springer signing is official – now with Springer comments!

**second update** I just spoke to Springer and the 40-year-old said he hadn’t been looking to move so far from his Louisiana home but he’d heard great things about the A’s organization from former A’s Jason Isringhausen, Mark Mulder, Chad Harville and even last year’s rookie starter Greg Smith, who lives near Springer in the offseason.

He also said he’s energized by young people – which is a good thing because the rest of the bullpen averages about a year’s worth of service time.

Springer hasn’t pitched in the AL since 1995, and, he said, “A lot of people say they don’t want to go back to the AL but I told my wife was tired of eating in the same restaurants all the time – it will be nice to take another lap around the American League on my way out.”

Don’t read too much into that – Springer said he’s declared every season each of the past three years to be his last, so it probably will depend on how the season goes.

Springer had his physical this morning in Houston and was returning to Lousiana this afternoon.

**original post**

The A’s are about to have a conference call with assistant GM David Forst about the team’s one-year deal with reliever Russ Springer. I’ll try to provide some info from the call as it happens, if possible.

The deal is expected to be worth more than $3 million including incentives.

And yes, Andrew Brown came off the roster to make room for Springer. He’s having shoulder surgery today in Birmingham, Ala.

**update** Forst said he felt bad for Brown and that the timing was unfortunate, but that the A’s needed to clear a roster spot for Springer.

That’s not always so easy to do – the 60-day DL is not available during the offseason. Brown told me yesterday that the A’s had left open the possibility of a minor-league deal and Forst said today that the A’s will have a better idea about Brown’s future after the surgery. It’s not yet known how extensive the damage is.

Springer was not on the call but I’m hoping to catch him later. Forst said that Springer’s versatility and his sub 2.50 ERA the past two years were the primary reasons the team pursued him, rather than a desire to add experience to the A’s young bullpen. Forst said Springer, 40, can handle the seventh, eighth and ninth innings and will provide a good bridge to Joey Devine and Brad Ziegler. He also pointed to Springer’s ability to hold leads and strand runners.

Brown, by the way, has no hard feelings whatsoever. He understands the A’s need to make a move and he said he loved playing in Oakland and loved his teammates. He’s wishing them well.

I’m sure the feeling is mutual. Brown was popular in the clubhouse, a large and very funny presence. Well-informed and smart, too, always playing chess with Huston Street. The bullpen has lost a lot of personality with the departures of Street, Brown and Alan Embree, but a member of the St. Louis media tells me that Springer is terrific, too, one of the top 10 best guys he’s ever covered.